The lingering crisis in Labour Party (LP) in Imo State has taken a deep nose dive into crisis that will affect the fortune of the party in the forthcoming general election.
The state chairman, Chief Dr. Ambfose Onyekwere in a notice dated September 16, informed party members of the administrative changes he has made by reassigning portfolios, swapping officers and office.
According the announcement, the Chairman, the national chairman of the party, Mr. Julius Abure is dissatisfied with the level of acrimony, intolerance and impunity orchestrated by one of the party’s candidates, one zonal leader and also one state leader.
As a result of this, the state chairman in order to bring peace in Owerri zone, has reassigned, reshuffled the following elected officers;
1. Engr. Ronald Obiyo has been reassigned from the Zone to Secretary position of Publicity, Contact and Mobilization Committee in the State.
2.OKEY ADIELE becomes the Vice Chairman Owerri Zone.
3.Ebere Ihekorone has been re-assigned to the Secretary position of FUND RAISING COMMITTEE in the State.
4.OBINNA NWACHUKWU becomes Chairman Owerri Municipal.
5.Peter Ibeto from Owerri North is now re-assigned (as a result of inactivity) to the Secretary position of Transport and Logistics in the State.
6.Kenneth Akakporo becomes Chairman Owerri North.
7.Hon. Ugochukwu Gabriel is now the Secretary of our Party in Owerri West, while Tony Nwakuna becomes an Ex-officio in the same Executive.
8.IFEANYI OPARANOZIE is now the LGA Chairman.
9.Engr. Chris Amaefule now functions as the Deputy Chairman of Security and Party Discipline Committee in the State.
10.PASTOR RICHARD MADUEKWE is now our LP Chairman of Ezinihitte LGA
11.MR. EVAREST ULONEME is now the LG Party Chairman in Aboh Mbaise as a result of the formal resignation of John Ndulaka from this position 24 months ago.
12.Mr. John Ndulaka is now an Ex-officio member in the Local Government Executive as well as a member of Transport and Logistics Committee in the State.
The statement reads in part;
“I have been directed by the National Chairman of our great Party, Mr. Julius Abure, to express his dissatisfaction with the level of acrimony, intolerance and impunity orchestrated by one of the Party’s candidates, one Zonal leader and also disappointedly, by one State leader, who all should work out their ass to get the Party the much desired victory in the Owerri Zone, come 2023 Elections.
He has further directed me to carry out administrative changes which of course, are inherent in my constitutional powers to bring peace and order in Owerri Zone of Labour Party (LP), Imo State.”
This reassignment of offices, is believed to be a counter offensive by the State Chairman, whom party members had protested against and demanded that he be removed or the party will not make any progress in the 2023 General Election. The protest was led by Aboh Mbaise Council Youth Leader, Patrick Ihekoronye.
Speaking to The Guardian, Ihekoronye said, ““We embarked on this protest because we are aggrieved by the unlawful actions of the party’s state Chairman, who, we believe, is on a mission to sell off our party to some political merchants in the state.
“Why we are asking that Onyekwere be removed is because we have discovered he is a mole in our party. He is an APC man drafted into our party by his paymasters to collapse the party for their selfish interests.”
The protesters further accused the chairman of playing the script of the Owerri zone senatorial candidate of the party, Ezenwa Onyewuchi, who, they alleged was replacing duly elected party officials with his loyalists against the general interests of the party.
